For the second straight game, manager Joe Maddon started the red-hot Albert Almora Jr. in center field on Sunday. Maddon has been playing the matchups all season long, especially with Almora. But on the surface, getting the start against St. Louis Cardinals righty Lance Lynn seems like a poor matchup. Everyone knows Almora struggles against right-handed pitchers (135 wRC+ against southpaws while just 83 wRC+ against righties for his career), but in his last nine at-bats, Almora has seven hits, all against righties.

He went 3-for-4 on Saturday with a pair of doubles and two huge RBI against right-hander Michael Wacha. But Wacha has huge reverse splits and Maddon was clear before and after the game that it was plainly a good matchup for Almora. However, he was impressed by Almora’s double off right-handed reliever John Brebbia.

“That’s a really significant at-bat for Albert right there,” Maddon said after...